Battle of Turnhout, 1597

MAVRITIVS GVL · PR · AVR · F · COM · NASS · FOEDERATARVM PROVINC · SALVTEM, VT SVPREMAM LEGEM, IN SVI GESTANS PECTORIS PENETRALIBVS, ANNO M D XCVII EX A∙D∙XII KAL∙FEBR∙HAGA∙PROFECTVS, RAPTIS POSTRIDIE SECVM, QVAE AD...

A view of the Battle of Turnhout, fought on 24 January 1597, between the Dutch and English, commanded by Maurice of Nassau (14 November 1567-23 April 1625) Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and Sir Francis Vere (c.1560-18 August 1609) and the Spanish army, commanded by the Master of the Ordnance, General Count Jean de Rie of Varas (d. 24 January 1597), resulting in a Dutch-English victory. Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648).

See the notes to RCIN 721086 for the background and brief account of this battle. This view depicts the scene at the point in the battle where Maurice of Nassau had ordered the cavalry, commanded by Hohenlohe (marked here as ‘Hoenloius’) and Solms (Solmensis), with the English horse of Horace Vere, Sidney and Parker, to gallop round the west flank of the fleeing Spanish garrison of Turnhout, and stop them from gaining the safety of the defile at the northern end of the heath. This view shows the van of the Spanish garrison, some Germans led by Grobbendonk, disappearing along the enclosed road to Herenthals (not named). The rest of the Spanish garrison is squarely caught by the Dutch and English horse on the open heath. Following Grobbendonk come the Spanish lances, under Guzmann (Gusmannus) and Alonzo Dragon (Buccinator Ducis Dragonii) – whose horse was cut to pieces and lost their standard (seen here on the ground), and Juan de Cordova (Ioannes Cordubensis), with Nicolas Basta (Nicol. Basta), an old officer, can be seen to the right of the view. They are followed by the German regiment of Count Sulz (Comes Suicius), and two Wallon regiments under Hachicourt (Aschicourtius) and La Barlette (Barlottus), finishing with a Spanish tercio commanded by the Marquis of Trevico (Mar. Treuicensis). The foot regiments/arquebusiers Francis Vere bring up the rear. The tattered flags of the defeated Spanish Netherlands decorate the corners of the print.